The oligomerization of olefins is known. Oligomerization is carried out by reacting olefinic hydrocarbons over catalysts to obtain various oligomers. Oligomerization is often applied to the process of forming dimers, trimers, and tetramers from monomers, and also can cover polymerization processes.
One oligomerization process is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,697,617 and involves the use of a catalyst that comprises a complex of nickel in an electron donor ligand. The complex deposited on a solid support of an acidic material such as silica-alumina. The polymerization of an olefin is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,644,564, using a nickel compound catalyst. U.S. Pat. No. 3,644,564 describes the oligomerization of ethylene. Other patents which describe catalysts for the oligomerization or polymerization of olefins.
While there are catalysts and processes for the oligomerization of olefins, there is a need for increased products that result from oligomerization of olefins, and the control of the process for generating liquid fuels and other liquids from light olefins still presents problems that need to be solved.